Machine fob cutting corks



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

SAMUEL SAWYER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING CORKS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 1,623, dated J' une 10, 1840.

being had to the accompanying plates of drawings, the description in connection with said drawings composing my specification. Figure l, Plate l, represents an elevation of one side of my machine. Fig. l, Plate 2,

is a horizontal section of the same just above what is termed the face-plate, Fig. 2, Plate 2, being a detailed view of some important parts.

The cork is prepared for the machine by being cut into longitudinal strips, these strips being again cut into blocks about the size of the Stoppers to be formed. This is done by machinery now in use by means of circular knives suitably 'arranged for the purpose.

The frame A, A A A of the machinery may be arranged as seen in the drawingsor in any other proper manner to support the various parts.

Across the bottom of the machine extends the horizontal shaft, B, B, having suitable bearings in the framework. On one end of this shaft is arranged the pulley C to which is applied the power that propels the machine, motion being imparted to the various parts of the saine, by means of several pulleys and wheels arranged on this shaft.

At D is a beveled wheel of suitable dimensions fixed on and revolving ywith the shaft, B, B. This wheel works into a similar wheel at E, arranged on and having for its axes the upright shaft F F, which rests and revolves on the top of the box Gr, of the shaft B B, said box being in the cross bar, H. The upper part of this shaft has a bearing in the cross bar I, I, in which it turns loosely. Near the top of the shaft F, F, is attached the iron circular framework or face-plate K K K, Fig. 1, Plate 2, to which is affixed in any proper manner the metallic circular knife L L L, the whole moving around horizontally with the shaft F F, in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. l, Plate 2. This knife may be formed in one entire piece as shown in the drawing, or made in sectional parts suitis essential that the knife L L L should be constantly sharp, there is arranged on the ably attached to the facesplate K K. 'As it shaft M M (which has suitable bearings f attached to the framework) a circular whetstone L, or wheel covered with emery, the periphery of which is accommodated to the beveled edge of the knife. This wheel is caused to revolve by means of the pulleyA N on the shaft M M, connected by means of 'the band O, (which may be crossed or straight as occasion may require), passing around the pulley P, on the driving shaft,v

B, B. .The grinding wheel L may be removed at pleasure from the edge of the knife by means of the adjusting screw Q, which, when loosened allows said wheel to slip on the axes M M.

The manner in which the raw material is fed to the cutter or knife may be thus described. The blocks of cork before mentioned are arranged one by one upon a shelf shown at R. This shelf may be raised or lowered, (in order to accommodate it to the formation of different sized Stoppers) by inea-ns of the nut S, and screw S, on the projecting arm T, which supports the shelf; the arm T being so attached to the underside of the upper rail of the frame A A A A (by means of a nut, slot, and screw, shown at U, and U) as to be moved from or toward the frame as the size of the cork may require. f s

The block is taken from the shelf, R, by the holders V, W, connected with the feeding frame, X, X, X, which may be formed as seen in the drawings or in any other proper manner. This frame is carried to and from the knife or cutter by means of the arm Y, Y, connected with the feeding frame as seenv in Fig. 1, Plate 2, and having a loose roller, Z near its other end working with the eccentric groove or cainwork a, a, a, arranged beneath the face plate K K K on the upright shaft, F, F, with a set screw in the usual manner for adjustment. This operation will be readily understood by an inspection of Fig. 1, Plate 2, where the parts abov'e mentioned are represented by dotted lines.

The frame X X, etc., rest and turn on the projecting pins or pivots B B fixed in the pins C C', which are attached to the sides of the frame, A A, by a nut, slot and screws at D', so that the feeding frame may be raised or lowered asthe `different,sized stop-` pers may require.

i Y .The Opel-ation of the holders v,` w, may

be thus described. The ends which hold the cork are circular and areY notched or arrangedwith proper teeth asseen in the dif-` ferent'gures which teeth entering into the ends of the cork prevent the sainelfroni turning excepting-A with the holder V `W,V while straight line isslightly inclined to the plane lofthe knife L L L. `The block` of cork w V"therefore being inclined with the said l5 holders to the horizontal cutter and knife L L L the knife .would cut deeper into `the i block of cork at one end than the other and thereby give the cork its proper tapering ley d, but having a dog engaging with a longitudinal groove infsaid hollow arbor, it revolves with the pulley.

Immediately under the holder, W, is the.

cylindricalY rod e e which passes through holes Vin the upright pieces o', t', between which is arranged the spiral spring f; one end pressing against a pin g on the rod e` e. b, b', there is firmly fixed, on the rod ecc the fork L, (Fig. 1, Plate l), which engages loosely with a groove on the holder W, so that when the rod moves horizontally the holder moves with it. The end of the rod ee is bent nearly at a right angle (as seen in the drawings), and rests in the` exterior of a wedge or movable inclined plane, i, arranged with a spiral spring o, as seen in Fig. 2, Plate 2 (to keep it in place) in the projecting piece j, (as seen in F ig. 2, Plate 2), the piece y' being suitably attached to the framework.

It will readily be seen that when the feeding frame X X, is moved backward the operation of the bent rod e e, Von the inclined plane z', willlserve to withdraw the holder W, thereby opening the holdersV and disen- Vgaging :the cork which may Vhave been formed; but when the rod e e' passes vthe lback of the plane c, thespring f f, on the rode e and fork 7L4 which passes from the rod e e and works with the holder W as vdescribed will serve to restore the holder` to its ,original po`sit`1on and the holders take anew block from the shelf and carry it forward for formation. This operation is as-V sisted bythe cam or projection c,attached to the side of the frameY 'X, X, which, when ftheframe is thrown back, presses 'against the movable inclined planeV z', and eXpedites the motion ofthe holder by inclining the "plane in'an opposite direction as" Vit were,

y-in VtheV process of formation. The aires 'of'A the holders V WV are in a straight line, which On the outside of the upright piecesY the spiralspring 0 (Fig. 2, Plate 2) i serving to'restore the plane, to its original position after the rod e `e' has passed the back of the same.

The cork and :holders are made Vto revolve by means'of the pulleys c, d, before mentioned, connected by the bandsl Z, m m, with the pulleys '/z", o, on the shaft p, which shaft rests and revolvesin bearings inthe lower ends of the sidepieces Q g, g g, of the frame a; :0, and being revolved `by means of the pulley 1', connected bythe band s s, withthe pulley D, `on the driving shaft, B B'. But

itl is essential that the cork` should ynot be 1revolved until it cornes in `:contact with `the knife or cutter, otherwise the Stoppers would not be smoothly formed on its exterior. This object is 'attained by means of the following arrangements of machinery: The pulley 1", before mentioned, turns loosely on the shaft p and has a dog or projection u, on one side, whichat times engages with the teeth of the wheel fu, Figl, Plate l, this wheel being fixed so as toslide on the shaft p, but turningwith the shaft by means of a feather and groove suitably arranged. Attached tothe wheel o is the ground pulley fw, one side of which' presses against the spiral spring im, `properly arrangedwith" a pin on the shaft p. vIn the groove of the pulley fw, rests Aone arm of 'the .bent lever jz/ y, which has a fulcrum on the feeding frame at e, the other passing through the guide a2, on

said frame,`and pressing against theunder side of the movable inclined plane or latch h2,`attached by a screw on vwhich `it turns loosely to acleatv 2, on theframe A` Al Y It will readily `be perceived byan inspectionof Fig. 1,`Plate'l,'and Fig, 2,7Plate 2,A V)that when the feeding frame is Vthrown back,

vis backby-meaisfof the lcatch 'd?,l4`ig.`2, 'Plate 2, attached-by la screw e2, (on which it turns loosely).tofthe cleat C2, and having a Y notch, f, or'ledge f2 engaging withthe undersideof the inclined plane b? so that 'when the lever y, is at the back 4part of the' plane b2, pressing it up, "it islprevented from turning farther by the ledge f2 infront the end g2 being weighted in order to bring` the catch "cl2 into properjposition when the frame is (back. When'the' `framel x m isbroughtto- .ward the` knife, thebent `lever springs the latch b2 from thefnotchff?"` in `the catch d2 andr turning inthe fulcrum e, .causes the wheel 'v (with the `assistance ofthe spring 3m) toengage'withl'the dog on the pulley -r,-`and to revolve Awith said pulley, pro? the proper motion being imparted tothe machinery in the other frame by means of the cross band v1 i passing from a pulley c, on the driving shaft B B, the similar parts in the two frames being similarly lettered.

The parts of the above machine, with the exception of the framework and pulleys, are mostly constructed of metal. The proportions may be obtained from the drawings which are in size about one third of the working machine.

I-Iaving thus described my improved machinery, I shall now specifically point out those parts I wish to claim in the same.

l. I claim rounding or forming the cork by means of the revolving circular knife, in combination with a movable feeding frame, operated by means of the arm y y, and roller Z, working with thel eccentric groove or camwork a-a-a, arranged on the shaft F F; the whole constructed and operating substantially in the manner and on the principles above described.

2. I claimV sharpening the revolving knife, while in operation, by means of a revolving whetstone, operated as above described.

8. I claim revolving both holders by means of the system of bands and pulleys above described, thereby eff-ectually preventing the liability to twist the cork while in the process of formation.

4. I claim the combination of the inclined plane z', bent rod e e, fork h and` spiral spring f f, operating together as above described, to withdraw the holder W,Vfor the purpose above set forth. v

5. I claim the combination of the movable inclined plane or latch b2, and catch cl2, with the bent lever y y, operating with the pulleys lw, fv, wheel fu, and spring m, on the axis p j), in the manner, and for the purposev above described.

In testimony that the above is a true description of my said invention, I have hereto aflixed my signature, this twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty-nine.

SAMUEL SAVYER.

Witnesses JOHN B. ADAN, EZRA LINCOLN, Jr. 

